Recently, various researches have been performed to solve an accelerated global warming. In particular, carbon dioxide among greenhouse gases blamed for the global warming is generated in great quantities by the use of fossil fuels such as coal and oil. A technique that isolates the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is called a carbon dioxide capture & storage (CCS) technique. The CCS techniques may be categorized as any one of a post-combustion capture technique, a pre-combustion capture technique, and an oxyfuel combustion technique. The post-combustion capture technique may be easily applied to a conventional art and may be the closest to commercialization.
Various researches have also been conducted for a desalination technique to solve a lack of drinking water caused by water pollution or drought. The desalination technique may use an evaporation method, a reverse osmosis (RO) method, a crystal method, an electrodialysis method, or a forward osmosis method. Recently, the forward osmosis method using a natural osmotic pressure difference has been highlighted to reduce energy necessary for the desalination.
The carbon dioxide-capture apparatus has been installed separately from the desalination apparatus, and there was no attempt to integrate the two apparatuses. In the case that the carbon dioxide-capture apparatus is installed separately from the desalination apparatus, a total installation cost of the two apparatuses increases and energy required for operating the two apparatuses increases. In addition, the amount of a necessary fluid circulating through the inside of each apparatus is great. In particular, in a power plant or an offshore plant, carbon dioxide is generated in great quantities and water for power and drinking water should be secured. Thus, the carbon dioxide-capture apparatus and the desalination apparatus are essential to the power plant or the offshore plant.
As a result, to reduce installation costs and energy, it is required to develop a technique capable of integrating the carbon dioxide-capture apparatus and the desalination apparatus in one apparatus.